MADISON, WI – For the next four days, Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) is removing the price tag on all available cats, 6 months of age and older, allowing adopters to pay what they are able to pay. The spring and summer months are always busy for DCHS, but a late surge of cats entering the shelter has caused DCHS to quickly near its max capacity. The economy is also putting a new slant on why people are giving up their pets. "It used to be because you are moving and can't keep the pet, or you don't have time for it, but now we really are seeing it trend toward people surrendering their animals because they lost a job, lost their home," said Gayle Viney, DCHS Public Relations Coordinator. "What's hard is these are animals we normally wouldn't see, because their owners really wanted to keep them.”

DCHS traditionally charges $40 to adopt an adult cat and $20 for a senior cat, but starting Thursday, October 27, and running through Sunday, October 30, DCHS is asking adopters to name their own adoption fee. People will be asked to fill in the blank when it comes to paying the adoption fees which include: spay/neuter surgery, distemper and rabies vaccinations, screening and/or treatment for fleas, ticks, mites, worms, ringworm, FeLV (feline leukemia) and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), a microchip, a 30-day health insurance policy, and a free bag of cat food from Mounds Pet Food Warehouse; a total value of over $200!

“We’ve heard and read about similar promotions working in other communities,” said Gayle Viney, DCHS Public Relations Coordinator. “By asking people to pay what they think is fair, it encourages people to be invested in our mission to save pets beyond the mere price tag.” Recently published studies have shown that eliminating the adoption fees does not devalue the pet in the eyes of the adopter. Only the adoption fee is changing, all other DCHS adoption policies remain in effect.

“It’s an education in the check-out line -- what is a pet worth,” said Viney. “We believe our community values their animals and we are betting we can make matches that will last.” Stop by any of our six adoption centers and pick the price of your new feline friend today! ·